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Nuclear Alert
201 Summary When a tactical atomic bomb is sold for $65 million by auction on the international black market, one of the losing bidders reports the fact to Oscar Goldman, head of the OSI. Uncertain on whether the seller is in possession of such a device or plans to steal the necessary parts an urgent conference is arranged with high ranking representatives from both the US military and science community present. All assembled bombs and their constituent parts are accounted for with the exception of a reflector fuse which, it is revealed, has recently left the factory where it had been manufactured. Steve Austin recommends that, rather than simply recall the fuse to a secure site, he should swap places with the driver of the truck containing the fuse in the hope that those assembling the bomb reveal themselves and attempt to seize the vital part. Oscar Goldman reluctantly agrees on the condition that he closely follows Steve with the US Army by using a tracking device. Steve shadows the truck to a service station where he swaps places with the van driver unaware that the driver has been hired by the criminal gang. Meanwhile back in Washington DC a leading nuclear scientist, Dr. Clea Broder, is kidnapped by a corrupt fellow scientist – Ted Swenson – who it transpires is the leader of the gang behind the nuclear alert. Shortly after taking over the truck, Steve pulls over and disables the reflector fuse by removing a transistor. Two other members of the gang have also been following Steve and they stop to ask him if he requires any help. When Steve confirms that he doesn’t they drive on. Shortly afterwards Steve stops to make a phone call and as he leaves the phone booth he is overpowered by the two men. One of them attempts to render Steve unconscious by injecting a drug into his arm before they place him in the back of their car and steal the truck. However, as the attack was on Steve’s bionic right arm the drug does not take effect and he is able to run after the truck at 60 mph. When Steve reaches the truck he climbs up the back of it and accesses the storage area by peeling back a panel on the roof. Meanwhile the original driver of the truck blocks the road behind by causing a deliberate road accident which results in Oscar’s vehicle being held up and them losing track of Steve and the reflector fuse. The truck passes through a weigh station and when he is given the weight reading the criminal driver realises that an intruder is on board. However, he and his colleague press on to their destination – Wakefield Airport. When they reach the airport Steve escapes unnoticed through the roof of the truck and conceals himself in an aircraft hangar. From there he identifies Swenson as the ringleader. He has brought Dr. Broder with him to the airport to meet the two gang members and the stolen fuse. When Swenson and his gang leave the hangar Steve sneaks into the cab of the stolen truck and is able to contact Oscar by two-way radio. He informs him of his location and that Swenson is the leader of the group behind the nuclear alert. Afterwards as he attempts to leave the area Steve is captured at gun point and taken to Swenson’s jet aircraft which contains a nuclear bomb. Swenson then forces Dr. Broder to fit the missing reflector fuse to his bomb in order that it can be fully activated. Oscar Goldman and General Wiley of the US Army order the closure of the airfield but Swenson orders his pilot to take of regardless. Various military aircraft are therefore scrambled to intercept Swenson’s jet. On board Swenson notices that the reflector fuse is not working and forces Steve to hand over the missing transistor. Noticing the interceptors closing in he then radios Oscar and Gen Wiley and threatens to drop the bomb if their aircraft are not called off. He then makes Steve confirm to them that the bomb is on board and that it is active. As a result Gen. Wiley orders his planes to destroy Swenson’s aircraft in a specified remote area. Conscious that time is running out Steve manages to break free from his handcuffs and kicks open the passenger door on the jet. Instant decompression follows and Swenson is sucked out of the aircraft to his death. Steve then overpowers the rest of the criminal gang and using his Bionic powers disables the nuclear bomb. He then takes over control of the aircraft, which has been on auto-pilot, and radios Oscar and Gen Wiley to inform them that the crisis is now over. The interceptors are therefore told to abort their mission and return to base. Credits Season 2, Episode 1 * Production Number: 41201 * Airdate: September 13, 1974 * Produced by: Lionel E. Siegel and Joe L. Cramer * Story by: William Driskill * Director: Jerry London Guest Stars * Carol Lawrence - Dr. Clea Broder Co-starring * Felice Orlandi – Cal * George Gaynes – General Wiley * Stewart Moss – Air Force Major * Fred Beir – Ted Swenson With * Thornas Bellin – Carson * Sid Haig - Third passenger * Irene Tedrow - Farmer's wife * Savannah Bentley – Elaine Quotes Trivia * The first episode of Season Two saw the introduction of an extended opening credits sequence and the now world famous narration of: Narrator (series producer) Harve Bennett: “''Steve Austin: astronaut. A man barely alive.” 'Oscar Goldman:' “''Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to make the world’s first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better…stronger…faster.” * It is revealed in this episode that Steve Austin’s Bionic arm has a facility to connect a tracking device to it. Nitpicks Scenes Deleted In Syndication